Council

Hundred and Twenty-first Session

Rome, 30 October - 1 November 2001

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISIONS TAKEN AT
THE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL

1. The Approved Methods of Work of the Council require that an
information document be prepared for each Council session reporting on the implementation
of the decisions taken at the preceding session (CL 60/REP, Appendix G, paragraph 7.8).

2. Listed hereunder are the decisions taken by the Hundred and
Twentieth Session of the Council and their implementation up to the date of going to
press.

3. The text in the decision column includes the Agenda Item title
underlined, the text of the Council decisions and a reference in brackets to the paragraph
in the Council Report.

DECISION

IMPLEMENTATION

HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL (Rome,
18-23 June 2001)

WORLD FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SITUATION

CURRENT WORLD FOOD SITUATION

Have the World Food Summit: five years later address
reaffirming political will, mobilizing resources and taking advantage of new opportunities
to strengthen national and international efforts in achieving food security for all [para.
6(a)]

The paper on Resource Mobilization was revised, a
High-Level Panel on this subject was organized in July 2001 and issued a report on this
issue. The paper on Political Will was also revised.

Encourage the international community, including FAO and
other relevant UN Agencies, to continue to monitor countries and people affected by severe
food shortages and provide necessary assistance to meet emergency needs, support
rehabilitation efforts and strengthen disaster preparedness to complement national efforts
[para. 6(b)]

The Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS)
continues to monitor closely the food supply and demand situation at the global, regional,
national and sub-national levels and to alert the international community on impending
severe food shortages. It reviews emergency food aid requests from governments for joint
approval by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Take steps under the umbrella of the United Nations (UN) and
applying FAO's rules, for a mission to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, together with other
Agencies, and in particular the World Food Programme (WFP), to assess the food security
and nutrition situation there, and act upon its recommendations as appropriate [para. 6
(c)]

In reply to a request from the Palestinian National
Administration, the Director-General indicated that FAO, in collaboration with WFP, would
undertake a Food and Nutrition Assessment Mission, subject to the availability of adequate
extra-budgetary resources. An Inter-Divisional Task Force was established with WFP and a
project proposal, for donor funding, was prepared for conducting an assessment of the food
and nutrition situation in the Palestinian Territories. The Mission will be undertaken
when donor response is received and security conditions permit.

Promote strong national efforts and international cooperation
to counter the spreading of animal diseases [(para. 6(f)]

This is provided through the implementation of the priority
programme EMPRES/Animal Disease component and, in particular, through its two main
thrusts: early warning and early reaction. In addition, FAO is responsible for GREP
(Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme), hosts the European Commission for the Control
of Foot-and-Mouth Disease and has been requested to organize a High-Level International
Conference on Transboundary Animal Diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, tentatively
scheduled for 2002.

Continue work in assisting developing countries to prepare
for the Multilateral Trade Negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) [para. 6(g)]

Promote adequate technical and financial assistance to
complement efforts by developing countries in attaining their food security objectives,
notably by means of effective water management and combatting drought and desertification
[para. 6(h)]

Action is being taken.

Have future biennial sessions of the Council in June not
include an agenda item or a separate report from the Secretariat on the Current World
Food Situation (para. 7)

The Current World Food Situation will no longer be
included in the agendas of future biennial sessions of the Council in June.

ACTIVITIES OF FAO AND WFP

REPORT OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
FISHERIES
(ROME, FEBRUARY-MARCH 2001)

Produce the ecosystem-based fisheries management studies to
be conducted by FAO, as agreed in paragraph 39 of the Report of COFI, through a
balanced and holistic approach
(para. 11)

The Fisheries Department has begun discussions on how to
undertake this matter, and this will be finalized after the Reykjavik Conference on
Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem (Reykjavik, Iceland, 1-4 October 2001).

Have the Conference act as a forum to address matters related
to ecosystem-based fisheries management (para. 11)

The Provisional Agenda and List of Documents have been
elaborated to permit the Conference to address matters related to ecosystem-based
fisheries management.

Refer to the COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade matters
regarding restrictions on trade and the use of fish meal for animal feed on the grounds of
an alleged link to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (para. 12)

This matter will be discussed at the Eighth Session of the
COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade (Bremen, Germany, 12-16 February 2002).

Allocate a higher share of the FAO budget to the Fisheries
Programme (para. 13)

The Fisheries Department has received US$ 378,000 of
additional funds to safeguard a Technical Editor post in support of the Sub-Committee on
Aquaculture.

Increase emphasis on such long-term commitments as the
implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the IPOAs, as
well as development of responsible aquaculture (para. 14)

The effective implementation of the Code and its IPOAs
are the major activities for the Fisheries Department over the medium-term in trying to
secure the sustainable exploitation and utilization of fisheries and aquaculture. A number
of operational and normative activities are ongoing and are planned, including extension
and promotion of Fish Code - Global Partnership for Responsible Fisheries - an umbrella
for a number of Trust Funds focusing on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for
Responsible Fisheries.

Devote further attention to promote improvements in global
fisheries management including the management of small-scale fisheries; the development of
ecosystem approaches to fisheries management; trade aspects including fish quality and
safety considerations; fishing gear selectivity and waste reduction; resource assessment
and monitoring; fish disease control and the management and harvest and post-harvest of
such under-exploited resources as mesopelagic stocks, and the special requirements of
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) (para. 14)

These activities constitute the core of the Fisheries
Department's interventions in the 2002-2003 biennium.

REPORT OF THE SIXTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
COMMODITY PROBLEMS (ROME, MARCH 2001)

Continue to monitor the world commodity situation and outlook
(para. 17)

Monitoring the world commodity situation and outlook
continues. Results are increasingly being disseminated as e-commodity notes published on
the FAO Website, as well as through the established publications of the Commodities and
Trade Division.

Carry out a balanced assessment of all the factors
influencing markets and trade in commodities (para. 17)

Assessment of all factors influencing markets and trade in
commodities continues, and attention is being given in close collaboration with other
international and national institutions to enhancing analytical capacities as new
developments occur.

Continue to monitor the export earnings as well as the food
import bills of developing countries, measures of agricultural support, agricultural trade
among developing countries and developments in international commodity agreements, and
widely disseminate this information through WAICENT (para. 17)

The monitoring of food import bills of developing countries
continues with results published in various outputs, including WAICENT. The capacity for
monitoring export earnings of developing countries for basic foodstuffs and for trade
among these countries has been further developed. Although the reporting on national
policies for basic foodstuffs has been expanded, establishment of quantitative measures of
agricultural support in developing countries remains in an early stage of development.
Export earnings and food import bills of developing countries, measures of agricultural
support, agricultural trade among developing countries and developments in international
commodity agreements continue to be monitored and reported through WAICENT. Agricultural
trade and production data is disseminated through FAOSTAT.

Continue to monitor the capacity of many developing countries
to benefit from the rapid developments in biotechnology and assist them in improving their
capacity to benefit from them in the production and trade of agricultural commodities
(para. 18)

Work on monitoring the impact of biotechnology developments
on agricultural commodity markets is continuing.

Strengthen trade-related technical assistance activities, and
in particular technical support especially from extra-budgetary contributions to
developing countries for the Multilateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture (para. 19)

A follow-up programme seeking donor support is under
preparation following the completion of the 14 Sub-regional Workshops, attended by over
800 participants, which provided trade-related technical support to developing countries
for the Multilateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture. It will respond to a growing
number of developing country requests for assistance at the regional and national levels.

Continue and strengthen analysis of agricultural trade policy
issues, including assessments of the impact of the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture
(para. 20)

FAO continues to monitor and analyse the impact of the
Uruguay Round Agreement on global agricultural markets and on agricultural sectors and
food security in individual Member Nations, particularly developing countries. Completed
case studies are being expanded and updated, and a new set of country studies which will
analyse in greater depth the linkages between trade and food security are planned.

Encourage greater government and private sector participation
in intergovernmental group (IGGs) activities to facilitate greater understanding of trade
in commodities (para. 21)

Ways to encourage greater government and private sector
participation in IGGs (and other commodity activities) are under review, and new
approaches are being tested. Results will be reflected in IGG documentation provided at
the next session of the Committee on Commodity Problems.

Continue work on such selected commodities as cotton, sugar,
coffee and cocoa playing an important part in developing country export earnings but not
covered by the intergovernmental groups (para. 21)

For commodities not covered by IGG`s, work to develop
quantitative methodologies for analyses of markets and income earnings is continuing.
Emphasis is being placed on the development of short-term price forecasting models for
sugar, coffee and cotton.

REPORT OF THE FIFTEENTH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
FORESTRY (ROME, MARCH 2001)

Continue to focus on several priority roles which had already
been discussed during COFO, such as support to national forest programmes and country
capacity-building; provision of a neutral forum; information and knowledge management,
including forest definitions and terminology to promote common understanding thereof;
establishment of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; forest
resource assessments; forest fire management; and support for countries experiencing
drought and desertification, as well as countries with low forest cover (para. 25)

FAO, with support from the United Kingdom, convened an
International Forum on Forestry and Poverty Alleviation, and steps are being taken to
integrate forestry and food security across the spectrum of FAO's work. FAO has expanded
its links with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, including collaboration on an international process to review
forest-related definitions.

FAO is implementing a national forest programme facility
emphasizing capacity-building in collaboration with Member Nations and other
organizations. FAO, in collaboration with the International Tropical Timber Organization,
is leading an international review of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest
management. FAO has also finalized the Forestry Resources Assessment 2000, the most
comprehensive global assessment of forest resources ever undertaken. Finally, it has
catalysed a new International Network for monitoring forest fires and is leading a new
initiative to support sustainable forest management in countries with low forest cover.

Continue support to international forest processes, including
the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) (para. 26)

The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), chaired by
FAO, has expanded its membership and is developing innovative new approaches to
international collaboration. FAO is taking the lead among international organizations in
supporting the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), and is seconding a senior staff
member to the UNFF Secretariat.

Continue leadership role in the Collaborative Partnership on
Forests (CPF), an innovative approach to promoting cooperation among major international
organizations dealing with forest issues (para. 26)

Ditto.

Continue to collaborate with the Secretariats of
international conventions related to forests, especially the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and
the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) (para. 26)

FAO has expanded collaboration with the Secretariats of the
Conventions on Climate Change, Biological Diversity, and Combatting Desertification.

Exercise role as the lead agency for the International Year
of Mountains, 2002 (IYM), raise awareness and promote actions, including international
activities, to achieve sustainable mountain development and encourage Member Nations to
actively participate in and support these initiatives, especially through the Trust Fund
established by FAO (para. 27)

The International Year of Mountains 2002 (IYM 2002) will be
officially launched in New York in December 2001 and FAO is leading a broad effort to
promote it. A new Professional post has been established to coordinate implementation of
recommendations which will be made during IYM 2002. Switzerland and Italy have contributed
to a multi-donor Trust Fund to support IYM.

REPORT OF THE SIXTEENTH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE (ROME, MARCH 2001)

Continue the emphasis on the multi-disciplinary approaches to
issues of agriculture embodied in the Medium Term Plan as `Priority Areas for
Inter-disciplinary Action' (PAIAs) (para. 29)

The Integrated Production Systems PAIA has been established
with a Secretariat and Task Force which have started developing FAO Good Agricultural
Practices for crops and livestock with an electronic conference in late 2001, an Expert
Consultation in 2002 and five regional pilot projects to demonstrate the added-value of
integrated production systems for enhancing productivity and improving livelihoods in the
rural sector.

Strengthen the Regular Programme funding of the international
standard-setting bodies hosted by FAO, the Codex Alimentarius and the International Plant
Protection Convention (IPPC), together with related mechanisms providing science-based
recommendations to these bodies (para. 30)

The work programme of the IPPC experienced a significant
increase in activity in 2001. Four new standards were adopted, bringing the total number
of standard adopted by the IPPC to 13. Programmes in technical assistance and information
exchange to support the implementation of international standards were also initiated.

Continue support to Sustainable Agriculture and Rural
Development and related programmes within FAO to enhance improved livelihoods for the
rural poor in developing countries and the productivity of small-scale farming (para. 32)

FAO continues to support sustainable agriculture and rural
development in enhancing access to land and other resources, and in restructuring and
strengthening public sector institutions and civil society organizations in the context of
decentralization. It also promotes farm and off-farm income-generating activities to
enhance rural livelihoods, and the development and use of participatory approaches and
method.

Address the impact of HIV-AIDS, along with other UN Agencies,
within the Organization's mandate in the context of Sustainable Agriculture and Rural
Development (para. 32)

A number of normative and operational activities are being
carried out by the Organization in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO and WFP. FAO is
also collaborating in the establishment of the CGIAR system-wide initiative on HIV/AIDS.

Analyze the suitability and rationale for the classification
of Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) as a basis for determining aid allocations
(paras 33 and 39)

The Economic and Social Department will prepare the requested
analysis for review by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) at its next session,
since that Committee has also made a similar suggestion.

Formalize the Working Group on Climate Change and Variability
in relation to agriculture and food security into an Inter-Departmental Working Group
within the framework of PAIA and have it focus on relevant data collection and its
interpretation, and on definitions and methodologies (para. 34)

Action taken. Following the Council's request, the
Interdepartmental Working Group (IDWG) on Climate Change ceased to be an ad hoc
group. It is now set within the framework of the PAIA Climate Change which
coordinates FAO's activities in this field.

Have the above-noted IDWG limit its mandate to those issues
for which FAO has a direct mandate (para. 34)

Action has been completed. The IDWG on Climate Change focuses
on agriculture, forestry and fisheries matters of climate change.

Continue assistance to Member Nations on prevention and
preparedness programmes to reduce vulnerability to storm-related disasters (para. 35)

FAO continues to provide, on request, technical assistance to
Member Nations to strengthen their preparedness capacity in reducing vulnerability to
storm-related disasters.

Underscore the issues of water scarcity and water use
efficiency as integral parts of SARD (para. 36)

FAO is addressing issues of water scarcity and water use
efficiency as an integral part of the programme on natural resources and the related PAIAs
on integrated production systems and disaster mitigation.

Submit to the Council for consideration the request for the
Consultative Forum on Seeds for Latin America and the Caribbean to be granted formal
recognition with FAO (para. 36)

The Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service is working with
the Legal Office to prepare a document setting out the objectives that are to be achieved
through the establishment of the body. The document shall also provide information
regarding the manner in which the body will carry out its functions and any impact that
its creation may have on current or future programmes. It shall also explain the financial
implications of the establishment of the body for the current biennium, as well as a
forecast of financial implications for future biennia.

REPORT OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
WORLD FOOD SECURITY
(ROME, MAY-JUNE 2001)

Take all appropriate measures within the Organization's
mandate to address AIDS-related problems in mitigating their effect on food security and
nutrition (para. 40)

A nutritional guideline has been drafted entitled
"Living well with HIV/AIDS - Nutritional care and support for people with
HIV/AIDS" for use by service deliverers, as well as directly by affected households
and individuals. The draft is being shared with WFP, UNAIDS, WHO and UNICEF. Ongoing field
work includes: follow-up on a socio-economic study on the impact of HIV/AIDS in rural
areas of Niger identifying activities to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food
security and nutrition; a project in Mozambique for improving household food security and
nutrition with specific attention to including HIV/AIDS-affected households in project
activities, and as integrating messages on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment into
agriculture, nutrition and health information campaigns.

Encourage field visits of Members, exchanges of experts, and
a more systematic monitoring of both successes and failures of appropriate technology
application through community-based action (para. 41)

The Member Nation that expressed willingness to finance field
visits will be approached for collaboration to implement this recommendation. Staff in
ESN-backstopped community household food security and nutrition projects have been
requested to monitor and report on the use of appropriate technologies within their
project areas.

Have "The impact of disasters on long-term food security
and poverty alleviation - policy implications" as the thematic issue and "The
impact of access to land on improving food security and alleviating rural poverty - a
review of successful cases of land reform in selected countries" as the topic for the
informal panel discussion at the Twenty-eighth Session of the CFS (para. 42)

Work will be initiated soon on the thematic issue as well as
on the organization of the panel.

Convene, jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO), a
Global Forum on Food Safety Regulators in October 2001 and a Pan-European Conference on
Food Safety and Quality in February 2002 (para. 42)

Action has been temporarily postponed on the
Global Forum on Food Safety Regulators (Marrakech, Morocco, 22-24 October 2001).

A Pan-European Conference on Food Safety and Quality
(Budapest, Hungary, 25-28 February 2002) is being organized to offer a platform in
identify and discussing food safety and quality issues of specific importance in the
European Region. It will also serve to focus discussion on opportunities for cooperation
and networking in policy and science development, and will elaborate proposals to improve
information and communication systems, as well as harmonise food safety policies.

Preparations for the World Food Summit: five years later

Implement Secretariat progress also concerning arrangements
for the conduct of the event, as listed in document CL 120/11-Sup.1
(paras 44 and 46)

Action has been postponed.

Minimize the incremental costs to the Regular Programme by
using the CFS and Council for preparations and by combining the event with the Conference
(para. 45)

Action has been postponed.

Establish an Open-Ended Working Group for countries invited
to the World Food Summit: five years later to undertake negotiations regarding the
proposed Resolution for the event, and have Ambassador Mary Margaret Muchada (Zimbabwe)
and Mr Aidan O'Driscoll (Ireland) serve as Co-Chairs (para. 47)

Action has been taken.

Pursue actions so that the Resolution will be concise,
focused, balanced and concrete
(para. 48)

Action has been taken.

Reconvene the Open-Ended Working Group at the Hundred and
Twenty-first Session of the Council for final consideration of the draft proposal for the
Resolution to be adopted by the World Food Summit: five years later at the
Thirty-first Session of the Conference of FAO (para. 49)

Action is being taken.

Establish a Trust Fund, to be financed by voluntary
contributions initially for an amount of US$500 million, to serve as a catalyst for
accelerating food production, improving food access in developing countries and for the
prevention, control and eradication of transboundary pests and diseases of plants and
animals, and have the Director-General take the necessary steps to mobilize resources for
it (para. 50)

Action has been taken.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE REVISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
UNDERTAKING ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES, IN HARMONY WITH THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY

Convene the Sixth Extraordinary Session of the Commission on
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture from 24-30 June 2001 in order to finalize and
agree upon the text of the International Undertaking for Submission to the Thirty-first
Session of the Conference in November 2001 (para. 52)

The Sixth Extraordinary Session of the Commission was
convened, as planned, from 24 to 30 June 2001. It adopted the text of the International
Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources and requested the Director-General to submit it
through the Hundred and Twenty-first Session of the Council to the Thirty-first Session of
the Conference, for its consideration and approval (see document C 2001/16).

Promote efforts to have all the negotiating parties work
constructively to make the forthcoming session of the Commission a success (para. 55)

Ditto.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE THIRTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE FAO
CONFERENCE, INCLUDING THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT: FIVE YEARS LATER

Arrangements for the Session and Provisional Timetable

Submit to the Conference for approval the Provisional Agenda
as amended, the tentative Timetable and the Arrangements outlined in documents CL 120/11;
CL 120/11-Sup.1; CL 120/11-Sup.2 (para. 61)

Action has been taken.

Establish two Commissions to examine respectively Parts I and
II of the Agenda
(para. 62)

Action has been taken.

Set the deadline for the receipt of nominations for election
to the Council at 12.00 hours on Saturday, 3 November 2001 (para. 62)

Action has been taken.

Schedule for Friday, 9 November 2001 the vote to elect
Members of the Council, the Appointment of the Independent Chairman of the Council and the
Adoption of the Resolution on Budgetary Appropriations 2002-2003
(para. 62)

Action has been taken.

Put the nomination of the President of the Council of
Ministers of Italy to take the Chair of the World Food Summit to the Conference (para. 63)

This action has been postponed.

Have the Chair of the World Food Summit: five years later
be assisted by six Vice-Chairs, and have the nominations for these positions submitted to
the Council at its Hundred and Twenty-firstSession (para. 64)

This action has been postponed.

Deadline for Nominations for Independent Chairman of the
Council

Establish the deadline for the receipt of nominations for
Independent Chairman of the Council at 12.00 hours on Friday, 17 August 2001 (para.
66)

Action has been taken.

Nominations of the Chairperson of the Conference, and of
the Chairperson of the Commissions

Make the necessary arrangements regarding the availability of
the designated Chairperson of the Conference (United Arab Emirates) and of the
Chairpersons of Commission I (Member from Group of 77) and Commission II (Germany) so that
the Hundred and Twenty-first Session of the Council can make definitive nominations to the
Conference for these posts (para. 67)

Action has been taken.

Nominations of Nine Members of the Credentials Committee
(Countries)

Make the necessary arrangements for the designations to the
Credentials Committee for the Thirty-first Session of the FAO Conference (Australia, Costa
Rica, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, United
States of America and Zimbabwe) to begin their work (para. 68)

Action has been taken.

PROGRAMME, BUDGETARY, FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

SUMMARY PROGRAMME OF WORK AND BUDGET 2002-03

Have the Programme Committee examine the feasibility of
developing preliminary information on Programme of Work and Budget proposals and submit
them to the Committees on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (para. 71)

This action is being planned for one of the sessions of the
Programme Committee in 2002.

This action depends on Conference decisions regarding the
Programme of Work and Budget 2002-03 and eventual payments of arrears.

Conclusions

Invite Members to continue an active dialogue to pave the way
for an eventual consensus, in the light of the full PWB (para. 81)

It is hoped that the full Programme of Work and Budget
proposals will be more amenable to consensus.

REPORT OF THE EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE PROGRAMME
COMMITTEE (ROME, MAY 2001)

USE OF ARREARS

Implement the revised list of priorities as presented by the
Director-General and use flexibility to allocate resources between items, based upon more
accurate estimates of the cost as they become available and bearing in mind the possible
effect of the level of the budget to eventually be approved by the Conference in November
2001 (para. 83)

A substantial payment of arrears is unlikely this year.
Implementation is however envisaged during 2002-2003, but it also depends on the decisions
of the Thirty-first Session of the Conference regarding the Programme of Work and Budget.

Other Matters Arising Out of the Report

Apply the same approach used when evaluating FAO's policy
assistance activities, i.e. recourse to external experts, peer review of the conclusions
and constructive management response to the recommendations, to future evaluations (para.
85)

This approach will be taken into account in future
evaluations.

Implement the above-noted recommendations over time, given
the importance attached by membership to FAO's policy advisory services (para. 85)

Some aspects are already reflected in PWB
2002-03 proposals.

Emphasize, in particular, measures towards improved
flexibility and rapidity of response to requests, and enhancing the catalytic role of the
FAO Country Representatives in this regard (para. 85)

This recommendation will be taken into account, including the
role of FAORs.

Have the Programme Committee keep the evaluation of FAO's
field activities under regular scrutiny, apprise the Council of the results of these
periodic assessments, and single out among important dimensions of the issue the targeting
priorities of potential donors and the latitude of FAO Field Offices to carry out
appropriate contacts in recipient countries
(para. 87)

The results of evaluation of field activities will remain one
important subject of discussion at future sessions of the Programme Committee.

REPORT OF THE NINETY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE (ROME, MAY 2001)

FAO Audited Accounts 1998-99

Forward a Draft Resolution on FAO Audited Accounts 1998-99 to
the Thirty-first Session of the Conference in November 2001 for Adoption (para. 89)

See document C 2001/5.

Status of Contributions and Arrears

Urge all Member Nations to pay their contributions in full in
order to enable the Organization to continue to fulfil its mandate
(para. 92)

A briefing paper was prepared on the criteria used to
establish the United Nations Scale to brief the Permanent Representatives. The item is on
the agenda of the Hundred and Twenty-first Session of the Council (see document CL 121/4).

Prepare an explanatory paper on the criteria used to
establish the UN Scale of Assessments for the Session of the Finance Committee in
September 2001 (para. 98)

Ditto.

Organize a briefing for the Permanent Representatives on the
criteria used to establish the UN Scale of Assessments following the Session of the
Finance Committee in September 2001 (para. 98)

Ditto.

Place and item on the Scale of Contributions on the Agenda of
the Hundred and Twenty-first Session of the Council (October-November 2001) (para. 99)

The resolution on the appointment of the External Auditor was
decided by the Hundred and Twentieth Session of the Council in June (Resolution 1/120).

Other Matters Arising Out of the Reports

Maintain the current practice with regard to management of
arrears (para. 106)

The Council recommended that the current practice be
retained. No action is required on this decision.

Maintain the current Incentive Scheme to Encourage Prompt
Payment of Contributions, as no consensus was achieved on alternative solutions (para.
109)

Ditto.

CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL MATTERS

Invitations to Non-Member Nations to Attend FAO Sessions

Have the Russian Federation attend as an observer the Hundred
and Twentieth Session of the FAO Council (para. 110)

Action has been taken.

Applications for Membership in the Organization

Invite the applicant country, Republic of Nauru, to
participate, in an observer capacity, in Council sessions, as well as in regional and
technical meetings of the Organization of interest to it (para. 113)

Action has been taken.

OTHER MATTERS

REVISED CALENDAR OF FAO GOVERNING BODIES AND OTHER MAIN
SESSIONS 2001-2002

Convene the Hundred and Twenty-first Session of the Council
in Rome from 30 October - 1 November 2001 (para. 114)

Action has been taken.

MARGARITA LIZÁRRAGA MEDAL

Present the Margarita Lizárraga Medal to the representative
of the Canadian Responsible Fisheries Board and its Secretariat as part of the proceedings
of the Thirty-first Session of the Conference in November 2001 (para. 115)

Nominations were received and the Canadian Responsible
Fisheries Board was selected as the winner and recipient of the medal. The medal will be
presented during the Thirty-first Session of the Conference under Agenda Item "Other
Matters".